Metallurgical furnace.



w. r. M1 1100mm METALLUBGIGKL FUBHAGE.

- Patented Oct. 20, 1908.

J, v H

WITNESSES w. P; M.-MucARTY. METALLURGICAL FURNACE.

Patented Oct. 20, 1908.

' LVI'ENTOR WITNESSES v .um,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

WILLIAM F. MASON McOARTY, or PLlC-ASANT'VILLE, NEW Your, AssIo-Nonor ONE-FOURTH TO GEORGE 1); EATON, ONE-FOURTHITO' THOMAS AGKEN, AND" QNETHIR'IIETHTT) ALEXANDER J. eUT-TMAN, oFN'uw YORK,

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Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented Oct. 20, 1905.

Application filed-December 14,4907. Serial N 0-. 406,498.

To 'all whom. it may concern:

'MoGnmig a citizen of the United States, residing ct" Pleasantville, in the county of,

Westchester and Stated New York-lure reduction of oreand has particular reference to certain new-and useful improvements in furnaces for prod ucing and refining iron and steel.

bodyin r important features 0t my invention; *igs. 2, i, and '4 are cross sectional views on lines 2--2,;3---'5 and '-l--'l of l -ig. l, and Fig. 5.15 a vertical sectional: view showing the preferredembodiment of my in- 'i'ci1tion. 7

"Referring to the drawings 1 designatesn combined blast furnace and converter hn vingthe general shape of blast furnaces in "common use andhaving its Walls preferably :formed of brick- 2 with an inner lining 3 of 'l.he body portion or shaft 5 of the fin name is of-the usual conlcal shape and ter- .mi nates at its upper end in a filling opening 6 through which they products of combustion escape when the vacuumpump, hereinafter referred to, 1s=-not in operation. close the furnace preliminary to the vacuum treatment the opening is provided witha removable cover- 6 ofsuitablc materihl. At its lower portion the walls of the shaft converge downwardlyto form the boshj 7 the l'owc'rsend ()f-"Wllll'ill extends into the crucible 9 and is supported by radially disposed pierslO "'lwy'ers 11 are provided to supply air under; pressure to the cl-large from a; pipe 12 in communication. with n blower or compies-s01 (not shown). A. second series of twyers: 13 extend into the crucible as shown In order to Ari important objectof-niy ihvention isend are arranged to supply superheated steam-from a pipe 14 connected with wen-itoble source of: supply 1 (notehown) Within the wallsof the-iurnaceerea series of-verticahflues or ducts 1L5 which-connect thespacewithin the crucible 9--w ith the interior of thewshaftfinear the-upper portion. thereof, by means of transversemas sages'ifi. -'1lhe-flues -or mlucts lfiarein'communication with e suitable "outlet pipe or pipes IT- for conveyingaofiv aces end :vapors wvhefrthe: haftiiiswloscd-i y the cover 6'.

One ofthe fluesalfinmay be advantageously provided or connected with lat-safety or relief "valv 18 comprising-wpi e lahavung a. cover or closureQO normally the spring fibsecured'thereto-an to the pin or bolt 22- passi-n through pipe ISasShrM-u. This-safety or re ief valve serves to instantly relieve any excess: of pressure within the,

shaft 4 or crucible'll caused, for eXample, b' an explosiveexpansion of steam in the meta and thus prevents injury to the furnace itself or to, the outlet pipe 17.

The lower end of the bosh is provided with an opening 23 through which -metul may pass to thecrucible 9, which is rovided with an outlet 24 normally closed clay plug In the use of my invention in can-yin out the process herei-nbefore referredtocharge the fiurnacc in the usual Way, adding, however, to the charge about 106 pounds of sodium. chlorid and 25 poundsof calcium chlorid to each ton of ore. The ore is reduced in the usual-way, the cover 6 being removed, and air being blown in thro'u h twycrs 11. When the ore is reduced the metal flows thmugh -the opening. 23 into the crucible 9, and is here subjected to the action oi superheated steam blown. in through t-W yers 13. thenction of the superheated steam upon the metal to which the chlorids of sodium and calcium have been. added, the sulfur, phosphorus, cyanogen: and other oecl'ude'd gases are rendered susceptible of ready-removal by vacuiun and are, in fact, in nrtremcyed bynthe 'action of the steam.

= n. order to complete the purificationof the metal it is necessary to subject it to the action of c vacuum. This may be done by removing it to :1 converterhavingmeans to subject it to the action of a vacu-mncr it Id in'(-pos1tion by of the furnace and .withdrawing air means'of a suitable suction apparatus shown ,-throu h outlet opem'n 17. I In' '1g. 5 I ave illustrateda sin lea pa- (not vratus in which the process, above re err'e to, can be carr1ed out somewhat more advantageouslgthan nthe apparatus 'hereinbefore describe I I, ,The furnace-is'in all respects'si'milarto that shown in 'Figs; 1 to l, inclusive except that the outlet 9 ening24 connects directly with a =va cuum c amber 26 to whichthe re-. duced 'metalmay be conveyed without subjecting it to the action of air. In'this case the outlet'is' controlled byv a suitable slide valve or gate 24. The chamber 26 is preferabl located-'beneaththefurnace as shown, an is provided with-a fire clay or fire brick lining27.

'A suction pi I I pe'28 connects the upper part of the chamber with suitable cooling means as a coilor worm 29 disposed in a tank 30 normally filled withwater as shown}. The

' outlet 31' of the coil or-worm is' connected .witba suitable 'exhauster (not shown). The

ch'amber26is provided with an outlet 32 normally closedby a fi'recla plug .33.

In uslng the preferred em odiment. of my invention in carr ingout'my-process Iv treat and reducethe c arge as already described, lnjectin air through twyers 11 and after re-- .duction lo wing superheated steam through "the metal in crucible 9. -I may subject it then or during the treatment with the'superheated steam to the influence of a'vacuum by-the action of an'exhaustpump connected with outlet 17, or I may subject it alternately "to the .action of superheated steam and a vacuum. I By reason of the necessarily large. dimensio ofthe chamber'fi it is practically impossible to secure-a very high (1 ee of vacuum therein. .It is, therefore, or inarily advisable, in'practice, to convey the reduced metal to' the chamber 26 after it has been subjected to the treatment with superheated steam, and there subject it to a vacuum. Where, by reason of the character of the ore or for otherreasons it is deemed advisable I to subject the metal simultaneously or alternately to the action .of steam and vacuum in the crucible 9, it is nevertheless advisablein practice to-convey the metalto the chamber 26 and there subject itto a hi h degree of vacuum before removing it to e molds.

By the interposition of suitable'cooling means between the chamber 26 and the ex- 1 hausting apparatus, the latter is protected from the'heat of the gases and vapors re moved from the metal, and the less volatile of the latter are condensed before coming in contact with exhauster. I By my arrangement of the supporting piers 10 in the crucible, said piers serve to separate and in a'sense isolate portions of "end of said bosh extendin steam to and means for localizing the, agltatlon or I disturbance of metal in said cruciblepro senses .the outer part of the metal in the crucible fromeach other and'thus serve to localize the agitation or disturbance caused by the injection of superheated steam. Inasmuch.

as the steam is preferabl injected into the metal midway between t e .piers the latter serve a useful purpose in preventing too vio-" "lent agitation of the mass of metal inmthe crucib While I have inbefore describedprocess it 1s to be under stood that it is notlimited to such use but may p qv r all "purpose f or which it is found to be adap a l Having thus described my. invention, I .claim: I Y 1. A furnace of the character described comprising a body portion to receive the char e, a crucible to receive the reduced meta ,'means for supplying'air under pressure to the clrarge in said body portion,

means for-su plylng steam to the metal in the said crucible, said body portion'bein in communication with said crucible throug 1 amopening provided in the lowerportion of the former and through a flue or duct leading from said crucible'to the upper part of said body portion, substantially as described.

. 2. A furnace of the characterdescribed comprising a bosh and a crucible, the lower downward into described the, 'operation ofmy furnace as used-in carryin out the herethe said crucible, said bos being provided at itslower extremity with means of com-.v

' mun-ica'tion with said crucible and said furnace being provided with means. of communication between said crucible, and themain portion of thefurnace, above said bosh, substantially as described.

'3. A furnace of the character described comprising a bosh and a crucible, said bosh extending downward into said crucible below the upper edge of the sides thereof, said crucible being in communication with said bosh through the lower end thereof, substantially as described.

4. A furnace of the character describe comprisin I ifierent portions of said crucible duced by the injection of said steam, substantiall as described.

5. A mace of the character described comprisin a crucible having partitions therein a apted to se arate portions of the contents from each 0t er and means for supplying steam under pressure to said portions, substantially as described.

6. A furnace of the character described- I comprising a bosh and a crucible, the lower ,end of said bosh extending downward into the said crucible,'and supported in such po-' sition by piers forming partition walls in a' crucible, means for supplying said crucible and means of communication between said bosh and crucible,"substantially bosh as described.

7. A furnace of the character described having a body portioncomprising a shaft and a bosh, means for supp ying air under pressure to said body lportion adjacent the said bosh, a crucible ocated beneath said and in communication therewith through an opening in the lower end'thereof,

- means for supp] mg superheated steam to the walls of sai said crucible an means of communication between said crucible and said stack said means of communication comprising a the or duct provided within .the walls of said. furnace, substantially as described. 8. A furnace of the character described comprising a body portion and a crucible,

7 body portion being provided with a flue or duct connect-in the upper part thereof with said crucibe, an

BIS

char metai outlet pipe in communication with said flue or duct, means for supplying air under pres- .sure to said body portion and means forsupplying superheated steam to ble, substantially as described.

9. A furnace of the character described comprising a body portion to receive the a crucible .to receive the reduced means for suppl in superheated steam to. the metal in sai crucible-and said crucivacuumroducing means suitably connected with sai crucible and adapted to withdraw air therefrom, substantially asdescribed.

10. A furnace'of the character described comprising a body portion to receive th char a crucible to receive the reduc meta means for supplying air underpressure to the char in said body portion,. means for supplymgsteam to the metal in the said' crumb e and vacuum-producing means suitably connected with said 5 body portion and crucible and adapted towithdraw air therefrom, substantially -as' described. p

11. An apparatus of the character described comprising a portion to receive the charge, a crucib e to receive the bud lower 'pa'rt of the latter an throu reduced metal, means 'for supplying air under pressure to the charge in said body portion, means'for suppl in steam to the metal in said crucible an a c amber ada ted to be thrown into communication with said crucible, said chamber being provided with means for exhausting air therefrom, substantially as described. 7

-12. An apparatus of the character de-. scribed comprising a body'portion to receiye the charge, a crucible located beneath and portion and in communication., therewit through an opening provided 3 1n the or duct leltding from said crucibe to the upper part of said body portion, anda chamber having a valvecontrolled connection with said crucible, said chamber being provided with means for exhausting air therefrom, substantially as described.

,13.,An apparatus of the character de scribed comprising a body portion to receive the charge, a crucible to receive the reduced metal, means for suppl ing steam to the metal in the said cruci le means for exhausting air from said crucible and a chamber having a valve controlled connection with said crucible and adapted to receive metal therefrom, said cham r being provided with means to exhaust air therefrom,

substantially as described.

14. An apparatus of the character described comprising 'a body portion to receive the charge, a- ,crucible to receive reduced metal, means for snpplyingnir under pressure to thecharge 1n said .bodyportlqn, means for supplying steam to the metal 1n.

said crucible, means for exhausting air from said crucible and a chamber having a valve controlled connection with said crucible ant.

adapted to receive .inetal' therefrom said chamber being provided with means for withdrawing air therefrom, described. a

In testimon whereof I aflix my signature in presence 0 two witnesses.

WILLIAI]. 80K IOUARTY.

' Witnesses:

610mm]: J. Bnocx,

C. L. PARKER.

substantially as- 

